Former soldier spends 80th birthday 'rowing Atlantic' at Inverness Tesco store to raise funds for armed forces charity, Erskine Hospital
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A former soldier has spent his 80th birthday "rowing the Atlantic" in a mission to raise funds for an armed forces charity.
Johnnie Baillie, of Inverness, is endeavouring to row the equivalent of 3000 miles – or five million metres – at the rate of 5000 metre strokes a day on a rowing machine.
The octogenarian began his challenge a few months ago and continued his daily stint even on his milestone birthday after setting up at the Tesco store in the city’s retail park – where he previously worked for 20 years – to reach 1,835,000m.
Mr Baillie, who lives with his wife Gina, in Glenburn Drive, reckons he should reach his goal in November but plans to row his last mile in the real Atlantic, on the west coast.
The money raised will go to Erskine Hospital, Renfrewshire, which provides a range of services to Scottish-based armed forces veterans and their families.
His previous fundraising projects have raised more than £11,000 for Erskine while his rowing challenge has raised £2500 so far.
"Rowing is just about the best exercise you can get," Mr Baillie said as he did his birthday stint.
"I might as well use this occasion to do something useful."
There was no special celebration afterwards as he was quite tired, and preparing for the next day’s stint but he hopes to hold a family celebration after his mission has ended.
Besides raising money for Erskine, Mr Baillie has over the years raised more than £8000 for children’s hospital charity Chas, and more than £1000 for Kinlochshiel Junior Shinty League, when he lived in South West Ross and ran his wife’s family croft, while also working as a "Kishorn Commando" at the pioneering concrete oil rig construction yard.
Educated at Durness Primary School and the former Sutherland Technical School in Golspie, Mr Baillie joined the Royal Military Police for three years at 18, and served for mostly in security at NATO Headquarters, then located in Paris.
He always maintained an interest in the army, and after his return to civilian life, joined the army reserve. He volunteered for a spell as a member of the British peacekeeping force in Bosnia in the 1990s.
His father, John Baillie, was one of the Highlands’ most experienced sheep stock experts of his generation and was awarded MBE for his contribution to agriculture.
